100 Years Ago

Aug. 7, 1921

Shortly after noon today the 41 persons representing the federated commercial organizations of Umatilla county making the tour of Grant county in the interests of good roads were ready to proceed to Heppner, where the night will be spent. A Pendleton-to-California highway is the solution of the road problems that confront Umatilla, Grant, Harney and Lake counties, sentiment of Grant county people indicates. A spirited meeting was held at Ritter last night which was presided over by County Commissioner Caverhill of Grant county, and sentiment expressed at the meeting overwhelmingly favors the construction of such a road. That the state will be asked to assist in such a program was the idea that was expressed by several speakers.

50 Years Ago

Aug. 7, 1971

A Chicago banker is giving Dennis and Cleo Gett of Hermiston’s Western Auto Store an opportunity “to start paying our bills again.” The banker and his son were backpacking in a high meadow of the headwaters of the North Fork of the Imnaha River in the Wallowa Mountains when they found a checkbook belonging to the Getts. Thursday, Gett said he and his wife lost the checkbook while on a special hunt last winter in the Wallowas. The Hermiston couple owns a cabin and horse corrals in the mountains out of Baker, and make frequent pack trips in the area.

25 Years Ago

Aug. 7, 1996

After 20 years of service to Pendleton, Amtrak will eliminate its Pioneer passenger train in November. In an inter-office memo leaked to the press Wednesday, Amtrak officials in Washington, D.C., said the Pioneer was being eliminated to “shift capacity that provides the best market opportunities” and to “improve Amtrak’s bottom line economic performance.” Pioneer’s thrice-weekly passenger service eastbound to Boise and on to Chicago, and every other day westbound to Portland and Seattle, will end Nov. 10. After that, only Union Pacific freight trains will use the line.